Machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather



Aug. 29, 2,356,855

MACHINEFOR OPERATING UPON HIDES, sxms, AND LEATHER 1944. c. D. KNOWLTON ETAL Filed Sept. 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1944- c.- D. KNOWLTON ET AL 2,356,855

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON HIDES, SKINS, AND LEATHER- Filed Sept. 9, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 29, 1944 menses MACHINE: FOR OPERATING UPON, HIDES, t a

SKINS, AND LEATHER Cutler D. Knowlton, Rockport, and David Edgar, Lynn, Mass, assignors to United Shoe Machin-v ery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corpora tion of New Jersey 1 Application September 9, 1942, Serial No. 457,73; 19 Olaims. (Cl. 69- 41) This invention relates to machines for operating upon hides, skins, and leather. While the invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine for performing glazing operations upon tanned hides and skins, it is to be understood that in 5 the cylinders and maintained against displacevarious novel and useful aspects the tinvention ment, thus obviating any possibility of damage is not limited to use in machines of he illusasin certain prior constructions.

trated type. In the illustrated construction, work feeding It has heretofore been proposed to provide tWO rolls are positioned at the entrance. and. exit ends rotary tools ot tmg 1n opposit d r cti Wlth of the machine and serve also as feeler devices e t to e other to treat all portwns of a to control the time of operation of the worktreatmeans is provi ed in iviua to each wor treating means is provided to feed sa d work piece m cylinder and movable to press the Work piece siztfir ra hrizi 5312 555: than? gigg i o e wor suppo s e ermining the sequence of the work treating rolls or cylinders is conf operations of fk'fl r ,7 m e ss trolled by a. feed roll located between the work shown, the work supports are Operated by treating cyl nders. Since the cylinders rotate at dividual fluid operatdfmeans under control of relatlvelyflllgh fi F er q g i solenoids in electrical circuits which are opened of feed 0 e wor 7 piece, 1 1S qui e pOSSl e and closed in suitably timed relation to each the rear end of the work piece to be snatched other b v y connections to. feeler devices disposed from the feeding roll as the end of the work in the ath of the Work iece is being approached particularly in the p places" P 7 These and other important features of the incase of skins of veiy irregular contour and havvention and novel combinations of parts will now mg one or more pro ections or tabs which mainb H I e described in detail in the specification and tam the feed roll in its raised position when but then ointed t mor m 1 th little of the skin is in position to be gripped by pendeg claims Ou par 10 at y m 6 said feed roll to maintain the skin against the in th d pull of the work treating cylinder. Under the i conditions described, the end portions of skins t 1S w m slde i partly m are apt to be damaged, particularly wh t b zion, of a glaz ng machine illustrating one em work treating tools are bladed cylinders. In an- 0 tment of the P and other type of machine employing two work treat- Flgs' lFcluslveg are e or 1935 d194- ing cylinders, means is provided separate from frammatlc VIQWS Illustrating pos tions of the work the feed rolls for controlling the time of operreatmg elements at Vanous pomts m T progation of the work treating cylinders, said work Tess of W plece h g the linachmecontrolling means being commonly in the for In the illustrated machine, which is designed of a feeler device at the exit end of the machine, i arly for glazing operations pon hides the result being that the machine will take care 40 and Fkms, there 15 provlded an ess Work supof only those work pieces of a quite substantial portlegbelt Conveyor member 8 passing around length dimension. e y large rolls. [0. and I2, the roll l2 being It is an object of this invention to provide a Preferably driven by power means to progress m ultiple cylinder Work treating machine capable the work pieces, such as that shown at l3, through of treating work pieces of sheet material having the machine at a rate of about 60.feetper mina wide range of length dimensions and to provide ute. The other roll I0 is rotatably supported in further a machine which will feed or present to th upp ends of a pair of s p v ta y Suptreating tools Work pieces which are extended p r d on the machine frame, springs, one of and therefore not subject to damage even if of which is shown at [6, being provided to keep'the th most irregular contour. conveyor belt .8 under driving tension and to er- It is an important feature of the invention that mit portions of the belt to be moved "u wa fidi detector, feeler or other work controlled devices into work presenting position with respect to o e are provided at both the entrance and exit ends or the other of two work treating rollsfde'vi e of the machine for controlling the work treating or cylinders l8 and 20. Obviously, I additional rolls or cylinders in such manner that the cyl work treating rolls 1 d vices n y be incorporated inders operate in succession on the work piece and always while the work piece is firmly held by the work feeding means, whereby the work piece is properly tensioned during treatment by in the machine without departing from the principles of the invention.

For cooperating with the conveyor belt 8 in feeding a work piece during treatment thereof there is provided a pair of final feed rolls 22, 24 of which the lower feed roll 24 serves also as a support for the conveyor belt 8 where it is pressed upon by the upper feed roll 22 which engages the work piece as the latter is presented thereto during the travel of the said belt 8. Since however both of the rolls 22 and 24 are power driven they serve as positive work feeding means along with the belt 8.

For driving the conveyor 8 and the feed rolls 22, 24 there is conveniently provided an electric motor indicated at 26 to which is coupled a shaft 21 having fixedly secured thereto a relatively small pulley 28 about which passes a belt 38 which also passes about a larger pulley 32 secured to a shaft 34 having fixedly secured therely long to maintain the gears in mesh while separated additionally by the thickness of the work piece.

There is also provided an initial or first pair of feed rolls 42, 44 for engaging the upper and lower surfaces of the conveyor belt 8 at the entrance end of the machine, intermeshing gears being provided for driving the upper feed roll 42 from the lower feed roll 44, these feed rolls being driven at the same speed as the feed rolls 22 and 24 by reason of a belt 46 which engages at its v opposite ends with pulleys of the same size as th pulley which, as before stated, is driven at a speed to provide for proper cooperation of the feed rolls with the conveyor belt 8.

As shown, each of the upper rolls 22 and 42 is mounted at its ends in vertically slidable blocks one of which is shown at 50 and another at 52 (Fig. 1), the said blocks being held Yieldingly in their lowermost positions by means of springs 54 so that said feed rolls 22 and 42 may readily be accommodated to variations in the thickness of the work piece undergoing treatment. Conveniently, the upper feed rolls 22 and 42 are made to serve also as feeler devices since they are raised by the entering end of the work piece and dropped again as the work piece passes away therefrom. To this end the feed roll 42, when lifted by the entering end of the work piece closes a switch at 60, the feed roll 22 also serving as a feeler through operation of a pivoted lever 62, since upward movement of that end of the lever above the feed roll 22 results in closing a switch at 64 and opening another switch at 66. In this connection, it is noted that blocks BI, 63 and 65 house mercury switches at 68, 64 and 66, respectively, which are closed upon pressure on a switch member 61, 68 and 69, respectively.

. The work treating rolls or cylinders I8 and 20 are driven at very much higher speed than the travel of the conveyor belt 8,, power means for driving the rolls being conveniently provided by a belt 10 passing around a relatively large pulley I2 on the shaft which carries the pulley 28, the said belt I0 also engaging a relatively small pulley 14 on a shaft I6 supported in the frame of aasefsss the machine, said shaft also carrying a much larger pulley 18 about which passes a belt engaging at its other end with a small pulley 82 secured to the shaft of the work treating cylinder 20 to drive the latter in a clockwise direction and at relatively high speed. Also secured to the shaft I6 is a gear 84 in mesh with a gear 86 of the same size on a shaft 88 journaled in the machine frame and having secured thereto a pulley of the same size as pulley I8 and having engaged therewith a belt which passes around a pulley 82 of the same size as pulley 82 to drive the work treating roll I8 at the same speed as the roll 20 but in the opposite direction. Since both of the work treating rolls I8 and 28 are relatively heavy rolls and driven at high speed, they ar mounted, as shown, in journals stationary on the machine frame.

To render the work treating rolls I8 and 20 operative, the work piece must be presented thereto, this being conveniently accomplished by pressing the work piece against the periphery of one or the other of the rolls by lifting the conveyor belt toward the work treating roll while the latter is rotating. As shown, there is a work support or presser member individual to each of the two work treating rolls I8 and 20, the said work support comprising a bed roll I08 or I02 mounted for free rotation at its opposite ends in power operated members I04 responsive to control by the feeds rolls 22 and 42 acting as feeler devices, as will hereinafter be more fully described.

Since each of the power operated members I84 is similar in all respects to each of the other three and is similarly operated, a description of one will apply to all four. By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that each member I04 projects from one end of a cylinder I86 and has its other end secured to a piston I08 which is slidable in the cylinder I86 and is operated by pressure of fluid against it. The pressure fluid, preferably oil, is admitted into the cylinder I06 through a pipe I I0 to which is connected a branch pipe I I2 opening into a valve cylinder I I3 in which slides a vertically movable valve member II6 having a portion IIO of reduced diameter. When the valve member I I6 is moved upwardly to bring the reduced portion II8 opposite to the end of the pipe II2 the pressure fluid flows from a pipe I20 to the pipe I I2 and thence by pipe I I0 to the lower end of cylinder I06. As shown, the lower end of the piston I08 has a cup-shaped depression I89 to facilitate entrance of the fluid under pressure into the space between the lower end of the piston I08 and the bottom of the piston cylinder I86. It will be understood that the two members I84 at opposite. ends of the bed roll I88 are lifted at the same time to press the adjacent portion of the conveyor belt 8 toward the work treating roll I8. Similarly the two members I04 associated with the bed roll I82 are lifted simultaneously to carry the said roll I02 upwardly to press a work piece on the conveyor belt against the work treating roll 28.

Conveniently the means for forcing the fluid under pressure into the cylinders I06 comprises a. rotary pump I30 arranged to be driven by a belt I32 from a pulley I34 on the motor driven shaft 21, said belt I32 passing around a pulley I36 on the shaft of the rotary pump. Extending from the pump casing is the pipe I20 which is provided at an intermediate point with a relief valve I40 which is adjustable in a well-known manner, by turning the hand wheel I42 to vary I42 into a sump or reservoir I44. It will be understood that, when each pair of valves I I6 is moved upwardly to connect the two associated cylinders I06 with the corresponding pipes I20,

the pressure fluid enters the cylinders I06 and causes upward movement of the bed roll I or I 02. Upon reverse movement of the valves II6 to the position shown in Fig. 1, a, reduced portion I48 of each valve will be located opposite to the lower end of each pipe I I0 so that the fluid under pressure in the cylinders I06 may drain into the sump I44 through the pipes I50.

For operating the valves I I 6, each valve is provided with connections to its individual solenoid I60 or I6I in a suitable electrical circuit arranged to be controlled by one or both of the ieeler devices represented by feed rolls 42 and 22. When the solenoids I60 or I6I are energized, their associated valve members II6 are lifted to bring the reduced portions II8 opposite to the ends of the pipes H2 and I so that pressure medium flows to the corresponding cylinders I06. At the same time the openings connecting the pipes IIO with the pipes I50 are closed since the reduced portions I48 of the valves II6 have been moved upwardly to a position such that a full-diameter portion of the valve II6 covers the openings of the pipes H0 and I50 into the valve cylinders- II3. When the solenoids I60 or I6I are deenergized, springs I62 at the lower end of the valve members II6 move the latter downwardly to restore the reduced portions I48 to their fluid releasing position with respect to the pipes IIO,

the result being that the bed roll I00 or I02 is lowered, thus terminating the operation of the associated work treating roll I8 or 20.

When a work piece such as that shown at I3 is placed upon the conveyor belt 8 at the entrance end of the machine, it is progressively carried along until its forward end lifts the upper feed roll 42, upward movement of the roll 42 serving to close the switch at 60 (Fig. 1) with the result that the solenoids at I60 are energized to move the valve members II6 upwardly to a position such that the pressure medium is directed through the pipes I I0 to the corresponding cylinders I06 at opposite ends of the bed roll I00. The upward movement of the pistons I08 and of the bed roll I00 results in pressing the adjacent portion of the conveyor belt upwardly toward the work treating roll I8, the arrangement being such that the belt just touches the periphery of such work treating roll; Hence, when the advance edge of the work piece moves in to the field of the work treating roll I8 it is contacted with substantial pressure to effect a glazing operation. Since the bed roll I00 is lifted by hydraulic means, which must about half fill the cylinder I06, the upward movement .of the bed roll is not instantaneous but takes place promptly enough so that it is in position when the forward end of the work piece reaches a vertical plane connecting the axes of the roll I8 and of the bed roll I 00. Hence, the work treating roll I8 operates upon all of the advance portion of the work piece, as shown in Fig. 3. When, however, the forward end of the work piece I3 lifts the work feeding roll 22, the latter acting as a feeler device closes the switch at 64 thus energizing the solenoids I BI and at the same time opens the switch at 66 thus deenergizing the solenoids at I60, the result being that bed roll I02 is lifted to press the work piece against the work treating roll 20 while at the same time the bed treated by the work treating roll I8 is also treated by the work treating roll 20 to insure that no portion of the work piece is missed in the passage of the latter through the machine. When the work piece I3 progresses far enough for the work feeding roll 42 to drop off of the rear end of the work piece, there is no change in the relative positions or in the operation of the work treating rolls I8 and 20. This is made clear by Fig. 5 wherein it will be seen that the work treating roll 20 continues to operate on the work piece and work treating roll I8 remains inoperative as in Fig. 4. Furthermore, from Fig. 5 it will be clear that the work feeding rolls 22 and 24 maintain control of the work piece until the work treating r011 20 has completed its treatment and'that there is no possiblity of the work treating roll 20 displacing the work piece at any time since during its whole operation the work piece is under control of the work feeding rolls 22, 24. When the work piece moves far enough to permit the roll 22 to drop into contact with the conveyor belt 8, the contact points of the switch at 64 are separated thus deenergizing the solenoids at IfiI with the result that the bed roll I02 drops away from the work treating cylinder 20 thus rendering the latter inoperative as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, work supporting means, means for feeding a spread out work. piece through the machine, a pair of cylinders -located above the work supporting means and operative to treat a work piece thereon, a feeler at the entrance end of the machine adapted to be engaged by the entering end of the work piece, means controlled by said feeler to cause operation of the work treating cylinder adjacent the entrance end of the machine, a feeler at the exit end of the machine, and means controlled by the last-mentioned feeler upon entrance of the work piece below the latter to initiate operation of the work treating cylinder nearer to the exit end of the machine, whereby said work treating cylinders operate in succession and in timed relation to each other as determined by said feelers.

2. A machine constructed according to claim 1 in which the work supporting means includes work supporting memberslocated one below each work treating cylinder to support the work piece during operation of the associated work treating cylinder, means for moving each work supporting member toward and from its associated work treating tool to present the work piece to the tool for treatment thereby and to move the work piece out of engagement with the tool, and electrical means including switches for initiating operation of said moving means, said switches being controlled by the feelers to secure successive operation of said work treating cylinders.

3. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, means including an endless work supporting belt for feeding a work piece, a pair of cylinders located above the belt and operative to treat a work piece thereon, a feeler at the entrance end of the machine adapted to be engaged by the entering end ofthe work piece, means controlled by said feeler to cause operation of the work treating cylinder adjacent the entrance end of the machine, a feeler at the exit end of the machine, and means controlled by the last-mentioned feeler upon entrance of the work piece below the latter to initiate operation of the work treating cylinder nearer to the exit end of the machine, whereby said work treating cylinders operate in succession and in timed relation to each other as determined by piece.

5. A machine constructed according to claim 3 in which work supporting members are provided one below each work treating cylinder to press the belt and the work piece thereon against the 2 5 associated work treating cylinder, fluid operated means for moving each work supporting member toward and from its associated work treating cylinder to present the work piece to the cylinder for treatment thereby and to move 131185130 work piece out of engagement with the cylinder, and electrical means including switches for initiating operation of said fluid operated means, said switches being controlled individually by the feelers to secure successive operations of said work treating cylinders.

6. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a first feed roll at the entrance end of the machine, work supporting means with which said first feed roll cooperatesggio in feeding a work piece through the machine, a work treating cylinder adjacent to said first work feeding roll and rotating in the same direction as said first feed roll, a final feed roll cooperating with said work supporting means at the exit end of the machine, a work treating cylinder adjacent to and preceding the final feed roll and arranged to rotate in a direction the reverse of said final feed roll, both feed rolls being movable upwardly upon entrance of a work piece between the individual feed roll and the work supporting means, and switches in electrical circuits to control the operation of said work treating cylinders, one of the switches being closed upon upward movement of the first feed roll to initiate operation of the work treating cylinder adjacent to said feed roll, and another of said switches being closed by the final feed roll to initiate operation of the work treating cylinder adjacent thereto, whereby said work treating cylinders operate in succession to effect treatment of the work piece.

'7. A machine constructed according to claim 6 in which still another switch is provided and arranged to be controlled by the feed roll at the exit end of the machine to terminate operation of the work treating cylinder at the entrance end of the machine at about the same time that the work treating cylinder at the exit end of the machine becomes operative to treat the work piece.

8. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a pair of cylinders rotating in opposite directions to treat a work piece, a conveyor belt to present a work piece to the cylinders, afeed r011 at the entering end of the machine, a similar feed roll at the exit end of the machine, a member below each work treating cylinder operative to support and press the belt and a work piece thereon against its associated cylinder, fluid operated means for operating said members, means controlled by the feed roll at the entrance end of the machine to initiate upward movement of the work supporting member associated with the cylinder adjacent to the entrance end of the machine, and means controlled by the feed roll at the exit end of the machine to initiate upward movement of the work supporting member associated with the other work treating cylinder upon entrance of the work piece below said last-mentioned feed roll.

9. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a pair of cylinders rotating in opposite directions to treat a work piece, a conveyor belt to present a work piece to the cylinders, a pair of feed rolls at the entering end of the machine, one above and one below the conveyor belt, a similar pair of feeding rolls at the exit end of the machine, a member below each work treating cylinder operative to support and press the belt and a work piece thereon against its associated cylinder, fluid operated means for operating said members, means controlled by the feed rolls at the entrance end of the machine to initiate operation of said fluid operated means to efiect upward movement of the work supporting member associated with the cylinder adjacent to the entrance end of the machine, and means controlled by the feed rolls at the exit end of the machine to initiate operation of the fluid operated means to effect upward movement of the work supporting member associated with the other work treating cylinder upon entrance of the work piece between said last-mentioned feed rolls.

10. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a pair of cylinders rotating in opposite directions to treat a work piece, a conveyor belt to resent a work piece to the *cylinders, means for supporting and driving said belt, a feed roll at the entering end of the machine, a similar feed roll at the exit end of the machine, a member below each work treating cylinder operative to press the belt and a work piece thereon against its associated cylinder, fluid operated means for operating said members, means controlled by the feed roll at the entrance end of the machine to initiate upward movement of the work supporting member associated with the cylinder adjacent to the entrance end of the machine, and means controlled by the feed roll at the exit end of the machine to initiate upward movement of the work supporting member associated with the other work treating cylinder, said last-mentioned feed roll also having connections to control the first-mentioned work supporting member to cause depression of the latter at about the same time that the other work supporting member is lifted into cooperative relation with respect to it associated work treating cylinder at the exit end of the machine.

11. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a pair of cylinders rotating in opposite directions to treat a work piece, a conveyor belt to present a work piece to the cylinders, a pair of feed rolls at the entering end of the machine, one above and one below the conveyor belt, a similar pair of feeding rolls at the exit end, a member below each work treating cylinder operative to press the belt and a work piece thereon against its associated cylinder, fluid operated means for operating said members, means controlled by the feed rolls at the entrance end of the machine to initiate upward movement of the work supporting member associated with the cylinder adjacent to the entrance end of the machine, and means controlled by the feed rolls at the exit end of the machine to initiate upward movement of the work supporting member associated with the other work treating cylinder upon entrance of the work piece between said last-mentioned feed rolls, said last-mentioned feed rolls also having connections to control the first-mentioned work supporting member to cause depression of the latter at about the same time that the other work supporting member is lifted into cooperative relation with respect to its associated work treating cylinder at the exit end of the machine.

12. In a machine for operating upon hides, skins, and leather, a pair of work treating cylinders, rotatable in opposite directions to treat a work piece, means for moving a work piece along continuously in one direction for treatment by said cylinders, a feed roll at the entrance end of the machine, a similar feed roll at the exit end of the machine, a work supporting member below each work treating cylinder, fiuid operated means for each work support to move the latter upwardly to press a work piece against its associated work treating cylinder, solenoids each in an electrical circuit for initiating operation of each fluid operated means, and switches in the electrical circuits for controlling said solenoids, one of the switches being controlled by the work feeding roll at the entrance end of the machine to initiate upward movement of the work support associated with the work treating cylinder at the entrance end of the machine when the work piece lifts the adjacent feed roll, and another of said switches being controlled by the work feeding roll at the exit end of the machine to initiate operation of the work supporting member associated with the work treating cylinder at the exit end of the machine when the forward end of the work piece lifts the last-mentioned feed roll, whereby said cylinders become operative in succession to treat the work piece.

13. A machine constructed according to claim 12 in which still another switch is provided for control by the feed roll at the exit end of the machine to initiate depression of the work support associated with the work treating cylinder at the entrance end of the machine, whereby the work treating cylinder at the entrance end of the machine is rendered inoperative at about the same time that the work treating cylinder nearer the exit end of the machine is rendered operative by upward movement of the work supporting member.

14. In a machine for treating pieces of sheet material, work supporting means, means for feeding and extending a work piece over the supporting means, work treating tools located above the work supporting means, a first detector at the entrance end of the machine adapted to be operated by the entering end of the work piece, means controlled by the said first detector to bring the first portion of the said work piece into engagement with a work treating tool, a second detector at the exit end of the machine adapted to be operated by the work piece, and means controlled by the said second detector to bring the last portion of the said work piece into engagement with a work treating tool.

15. In a machine for treating pieces of sheet material, work supporting means, means for feeding and extending a work piece over the supporta ing means, work treating tools located above the work supporting means, a first detector at the entrance end of the machine adapted to be operated by a work piece when being fed into the machine, a final detector at the exit end of the machine adapted to be operated by the work piece when being discharged from the machine, means for yieldably holding a first portion of the work piece and one of said tools in engagement, said holding means being under the control of the first detector, and means for yieldably holding a second portion of the work piece and another of said tools in engagement, said latter means being under the control of the final detector.

16. A machine constructed according to claim 14 in which the second detector is provided with additional means whereby engagement of the first portion of the work piece with a tool is terminated at about the same time that the last portion of the work piece is engaged by a tool.

17. In a machine for treating pieces of sheet material such as hides, skins or leather, work supporting means, a conveyor belt with associated feeding rolls for feeding and extending a work piece over the supporting means and passing it through the machine, work treating tools located above the work supporting means, a first detector at the entrance end of the machine adapted to be operated by the entering end of the work piece, means controlled by the said first detector to bring the first portion of thesaid work piece into engagement with a work treating tool, a second detector at the exit end of the machine adapted to be operated by the work piece, and means controlled by the said second detector to bring the last portion of the said work piece into engagement with a work treating tool.

18. A machine constructed according to claim 14 in which the operative relationship of the two detectors to the tools is such that the said last portion of the work piece overlaps the said first portion of the work piece.

19. In a machine for treating pieces of sheet material, work supporting means, a first set of feeding rolls for introducing a work piece over the work supporting means, a second set of rolls for discharging the work piece from the machine, work treating tools spaced along the path of movement of the work piece and between the two sets of rolls, said tools being adapted to bring forces in opposite-directions to bear on the work piece and along said path of movement, detector means arranged above the said work supporting means to be operated by the passage of the work piece, and means controlled by the said detector means to bring the tools selectively into engagement with the work piece such that the work piece, while being treated, is always under tension because of a pull between one set of rolls and a tool.

CUTLER D. KNOWLTON. DAVID EDGAR. 

